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PLEASE READ!!! SEPTEMBER 10TH IS WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY

According to the American Foundation For Suicide Prevention: “41,149 Americans took their lives in 2013, the most recent year for which full data are available. Suicide accounted for 12.6 deaths for every 100,000 people nationwide, making it the country’s 10th leading causes of death, suicide continues to claim more lives each year. An estimated 1 million suicide attempts occur each year, many requiring medical attention.”

As most of you may know, September is National Suicide Prevention Month. According to the World Heath Organization (WHO), nearly 3,000 people on average commit suicide daily. Among veterans, suicide rates are at an all time high. Additionally, for every person who commits suicide, 20 or more others attempt to end their lives. To some of you, this information may come as somewhat of shock.

September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day. The overall goal aims to: raise awareness that suicide is preventable, improve education about suicide, spread information about suicide awareness, and decrease the stigma regarding suicide. So I hope that you are able to take time to today to educate yourself about all the aspects of suicide, even if you feel you have a pretty good understand of the issue. Here are some good websites to check out if you are really interested in reading about suicide and/or information related to:

Your other option(s) would be to go to google and do a simple search on suicide prevention or suicide awareness. I would also like to mention that if you are having a personal crisis regardless of what problems you are dealing with, there are phone numbers you can call. The goals of these phone numbers isn’t something you should be afraid of, they simply just want t-o give you someone to talk to and to help you find a reason to keep on living:

1-800-273-TALK (8255): you’ll be connected to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area, anytime 24/7.

There are many free resources out there available to educate and/or help individuals on suicide. I highly urge everyone to take time out and look at a few of these resources to join in the goals surrounding what this day officially stands for. There are too many people out there who have lost their lives to suicide. There are just as many, if not more, who have had suicidal thoughts or have attempted suicide at one time or another. If you are considering suicide or think you might need help for this, please do not hesitate reaching out to someone! Don’t become another statistic.

Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem! I know that isn’t something that is necessarily easy to understand when/if you are in the middle of this type of crisis but that doesn’t make this fact any less true! On a personal level, I have fought suicidal thoughts ever since I was an adolescent. I have attempted suicide multiple times as well. Over the last 10+ years I have tried different types of treatment and medications in an attempt to overcome depression. Nothing has ever completely taken it away, because even to this very day, I still suffer from it.

There is something I want to say to those of you who suffer from depression and/or suicidal thoughts: As long as you are alive, depression hasn’t won! This may be hard to believe, but as long as you are alive, you are still beating depression. Even if that means you often feel so lousy that you end up staying in bed as much as possible and sometimes don’t even walk outside. None of that matters! YOU ARE STRONGER THAN YOUR ILLNESS! Believe it or not, but when it comes to depression, if the only thing you accomplished today was eating something sustainable and using the bathroom, you did good! I say that because regardless, you gave yourself the chance to see a better tomorrow. Even if tomorrow only ends up in you eating, using the bathroom, and maybe taking a shower (just to put on pajamas). It might sound ridiculous, but remember, I have been where you are, and everyday that you keep yourself alive, is a good day!

Suicide isn’t “the easy way out.” Whatever idiot came up with that phrase, obviously has never been in that position. The reason I say this is because when someone is contemplating taking their own life, a lot of thought goes into it! You think of all who might be effected from you taking your own life. You think of who might find you or who might have to clean up the mess. You think of all the things you might miss out on life if you go through with suicide. You think of absolutely everything. Meanwhile, all these things weigh in on any final decision that result from these thoughts. By no means is suicide “the easy way out,” because deciding to take your own life and following through, in my own opinion, is probably the hardest decision one would have to make.

To any of my friends or family out there, if you are ever in the position where you need to talk, I am that person who will always be ready to listen to you! Doesn’t matter the circumstances, I’m available, day or night! Don’t ever forget that there are people out there who can related to your feelings and thoughts. You are not alone! If anyone out there is considering suicide as the solution to all your problems, please please, take the time out to ask for help from someone, anyone! Because at the end the day, your life matters to someone, even if at the time, you are convinced that no one cares! BECAUSE I CARE!